Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Myth: Sci-fi fans are chronically single, underemployed, and still live in mom's basement.

Not true. Any such broad and demeaning stereotype should be treated as suspect. Fans out of high-school move out just like everyone else. I don't know where this stereotype comes from but the fan groups I'm familiar with are populated by a wide range of professions, none of whom live with mom and dad. These people are either married, engaged, or dating. The single guys are the exception rather than the rule.

Myth: Sci-fi fans are predominantly male.

I believed this one for a long time myself. But once I started attending larger events, I found that every mulit-genre convention I've attended has been about 50/50 genderwise. Granted some of the smaller comic book events have skewed male, but every Anime, Harry Potter, Star Wars event I've been to has been very gender balanced.

Wow. That's a low blow. Costuming is a science fiction tradition that dates back to the earliest conventions. I know costumers who are doctors, lawyers, engineers, and even US Marines and I wouldn't call any of them arrested or overweight. I think number of the overweight costumers is the same as the percentage of overweight fans in general, and probably society as a whole. I don't know where this level of resentment comes from, but I've heard some variation on it from several people.

Myth: Furry Fandom is made up of perverts.

Come on, now you are just being mean. Don't let CSI form your opinions for you. Besides, the fans with the fursuits make up a small portion of those in furry fandom. Many are writers and artists that work with predominantly anthropomorphic characters. Thinking someone in a fursuit is into atypical sex is like thinking someone in a leather jacket is a bondage freak. Grow up and get to know people before you make calls like that.

Seriously, this pretty much sums up all my pertinent points and arguements about fandom in general. I'm the office geek in my workplace and it's treated at about the same level as if I were into the local sports team. That's the way it should be.

And as to the furries. . .I say lay off. It may not be my way, but I can appreciate anthropormorphic art(Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew for life sucka!) as much as the next guy, and if they want to dress up and blow off some steam engaging in some playful fantasy who am I to judge? In the words of John Lennon, whatever gets you through the night is all right.